Areda Survey investigated the perception of religiosity in Turkey. According to the research results, 21.5% of the Turkish population states that they have read the entire Quran translation, while 18.4% say they have never read it. The percentage of those who define themselves as “very religious” is 39.1%. Men, at 41.5%, consider themselves more religious than women, who are at 36.8%. Among age groups, young people aged 18-34 lead with 43% when defining themselves as “very religious.” Additionally, the percentage of those who view their parents as “very religious” has decreased by 8.5% compared to the previous year.

18.4% of Turkish People Say They “Have Never Read” the Quran Translation

With the start of the Three Months, the spiritual atmosphere associated with the month of Ramadan is being anticipated. So, how religious does the Turkish population perceive itself? Here are the results of Areda Survey’s research on the perception of religiosity in Turkey.

According to the survey conducted by Areda Survey with the participation of 4,539 people across Turkey, 21.5% of the Turkish population states that they have read the entire Quran translation, while 18.4% say they have never read it. Those who have read part of the translation make up 60.1%, the majority.

The research reveals that women read the Quran translation more than men. 25.5% of women state that they have read the entire Quran translation, while the percentage for men is 17.4%. Among women, 62.1% have read part of the translation, compared to 58.1% among men. 12.5% of women and 24.5% of men report that they have never read it.

Looking at age groups, 25.2% of young people say “I have never read the Quran translation,” the highest among all groups. The highest percentage of those who have read part of the Quran translation is 67% in the 35-54 age range. Among those who have read the entire translation, 35.3% are aged 55 and older.

Men See Themselves as More Religious Than Women

Participants were also asked how religious they see themselves. The percentage of people who define themselves as “very religious,” which has been on the rise for the past two years (2022: 37.8%; 2023: 38.7%), reached 39.1% this year. The percentage of people who consider themselves “somewhat religious” is 45.8%, while 15.1% of participants say they are “not very religious.”

41.5% of men express that they see themselves as more religious than women, who are at 36.8%. Among age groups, the 18-34 age group ranks first with 43% when defining themselves as “very religious.” On the other hand, those who consider themselves “not very religious” have the highest percentage in the 55 and older group, at 22.1%. The highest percentage of those who define themselves as “somewhat religious” is found in the 35-54 age group, with 52.3%.

The Percentage of People Who See Their Parents as “Very Religious” Decreases

Participants were also asked how they evaluate the religiosity of their parents. The percentage of people who say “My parents are very religious,” which was 59.1% last year, has decreased to 50.6% this year. The percentage of those who view their parents as “somewhat religious,” which has been around 30% in recent years, has increased to 42% this year. Additionally, the percentage of people who say “They are not very religious” has reached 7.5%, the highest level in the past four years.

Methodology of the Research

The research, conducted between November 29 and December 2, 2024, involved 4,539 participants across Turkey. It used quantitative research methods, specifically the CAWI technique, and was carried out using Areda Survey’s Profile-Based Digital Panel.